18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 9102 (2026)
Definitions.
§ 9102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Administration of criminal justice." The activities directly concerned with the prevention, control or reduction of crime, the apprehension, detention, pretrial release, post-trial release, prosecution, adjudication, correctional supervision or rehabilitation of accused persons or criminal offenders; criminal identification activities; or the collection, storage dissemination or usage of criminal history record information.
"Audit." The process of reviewing compliance with applicable Federal and State laws and regulations related to the privacy and security of criminal history record information.
"Automated systems." A computer or other internally programmed device capable of automatically accepting and processing data, including computer programs, data communication links, input and output data and data storage devices.
"Central repository." The central location for the collection, compilation, maintenance and dissemination of criminal history record information by the Pennsylvania State Police.
"Criminal history record information." Information collected by criminal justice agencies concerning individuals, and arising from the initiation of a criminal proceeding, consisting of identifiable descriptions, dates and notations of arrests, indictments, informations or other formal criminal charges and any dispositions arising therefrom. The term does not include intelligence information, investigative information or treatment information, including medical and psychological information, or information and records specified in section 9104 (relating to scope).
"Criminal justice agency." Any court, including the minor judiciary, with criminal jurisdiction or any other governmental agency, or subunit thereof, created by statute or by the State or Federal constitutions, specifically authorized to perform as its principal function the administration of criminal justice, and which allocates a substantial portion of its annual budget to such function. Criminal justice agencies include, but are not limited to: organized State and municipal police departments, local detention facilities, county, regional and State correctional facilities, probation agencies, district or prosecuting attorneys, parole boards, pardon boards, the facilities and administrative offices of the Department of Public Welfare that provide care, guidance and control to adjudicated delinquents, and such agencies or subunits thereof, as are declared by the Attorney General to be criminal justice agencies as determined by a review of applicable statutes and the State and Federal Constitutions or both.
"Disposition." Information indicating that criminal proceedings have been concluded, including information disclosing that police have elected not to refer a matter for prosecution, that a prosecuting authority has elected not to commence criminal proceedings or that a grand jury has failed to indict and disclosing the nature of the termination of the proceedings; or information disclosing that proceedings have been indefinitely postponed and also disclosing the reason for such postponement. Dispositions of criminal proceedings in the Commonwealth shall include, but not be limited to, acquittal, acquittal by reason of insanity, pretrial probation or diversion, charge dismissed, guilty plea, nolle prosequi, no information filed, nolo contendere plea, convicted, abatement, discharge under rules of the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, demurrer sustained, pardoned, sentence commuted, mistrial-defendant discharged, discharge from probation or parole or correctional supervision.
"Dissemination." The oral or written transmission or disclosure of criminal history record information to individuals or agencies other than the criminal justice agency which maintains the information.
"Expunge."
(1) To remove information so that there is no trace or indication that such information existed;
(2) to eliminate all identifiers which may be used to trace the identity of an individual, allowing remaining data to be used for statistical purposes; or
(3) maintenance of certain information required or authorized under the provisions of section 9122(c) (relating to expungement), when an individual has successfully completed the conditions of any pretrial or posttrial diversion or probation program.
"Intelligence information." Information concerning the habits, practices, characteristics, possessions, associations or financial status of any individual compiled in an effort to anticipate, prevent, monitor, investigate or prosecute criminal activity. Notwithstanding the definition of "treatment information" contained in this section, intelligence information may include information on prescribing, dispensing, selling, obtaining or using a controlled substance as defined in the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.
"Investigative information." Information assembled as a result of the performance of any inquiry, formal or informal, into a criminal incident or an allegation of criminal wrongdoing and may include modus operandi information.
"Police blotter." A chronological listing of arrests, usually documented contemporaneous with the incident, which may include, but is not limited to, the name and address of the individual charged and the alleged offenses.
"Qualifying offense." An offense under section 13 of the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, or an attempt, conspiracy or solicitation to commit an offense under section 13 of The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, unless a minimum sentence of 30 months or more of imprisonment or a maximum sentence of 60 months or more of imprisonment was imposed on the offense.
"Repository." Any location in which criminal history record information is collected, compiled, maintained and disseminated by a criminal justice agency.
"Treatment information." Information concerning medical, psychiatric, psychological or other rehabilitative treatment provided, suggested or prescribed for any individual charged with or convicted of a crime.
(Dec. 14, 1979, P.L.556, No.127, eff. imd.; June 11, 1982, P.L.476, No.138, eff. 180 days; Dec. 19, 1990, P.L.1332, No.207, eff. imd.; Nov. 29, 2004, P.L.1349, No.173, eff. 60 days; Dec. 14, 2023, P.L.334, No.36, eff. 60 days)
2023 Amendment. Act 36 added the def. of "qualifying offense."
2004 Amendment. Act 173 amended the def. of "criminal justice agency."
1990 Amendment. Act 207 amended the defs. of "intelligence information" and "treatment information."
1982 Amendment. Act 138 amended the defs. of "criminal justice agency," "expunge" and "intelligence information" and added the def. of "police blotter."
1979 Amendment. Act 127 amended the def. of "criminal history record information," added the defs. of "automated systems," "intelligence information," "investigative information" and "treatment information" and deleted the def. of "secondary dissemination."
References in Text. The Department of Public Welfare, referred to in this section, was redesignated as the Department of Human Services by Act 132 of 2014.
Cross References. Section 9102 is referred to in section 6108.7 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations); section 6309 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); section 2303 of Title 44 (Law and Justice); section 2162 of Title 53 (Municipalities Generally); section 1786 of Title 74 (Transportation).